This invention relates to a process for deodorizing odorous polyolefins.
Various methods are known to produce polyolefins. These polyolefin type compounds have been used in a wide variety of applications. For example, polyolefins are fabricated into molded articles such as pipes, films, and fibers. However, one persistent problem that has limited the development of polyolefin applications has been the generation of odorous compounds during the production of the polyolefin. These odorous compounds are then incorporated into the polyolefin material. After incorporation, these odorous compounds interfere with the utilization of the polyolefin material in applications where such odors would be undesirable. An example of this occurs when a polyolefin resin is used to fabricate a container for a liquid or a solid which is meant for human consumption, and that polyolefin container has a distasteful olfactory impact upon the consumer of the product.
Considering the subjectiveness of determining an odor's quality it is best if there are not any odorous compounds in the polyolefin material at all. However, it is hard, if not impossible sometimes, to determine exactly which compound, in a group of compounds, is odorous. Given the difficulties in determining which compounds are odorous, and in eliminating those odorous compounds from the polyolefin material, it is reasonable to eliminate the suspected odorous properties of the various suspected odorous compounds in order to lessen their net impact upon the final application of the polyolefin material.